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Dowdy v. StateDowdy v. State

Alabama Court of Appeals
May 26, 1931
8 Div. 224.
Reporters:
, ,
Before:
Bricken
BRICKEN, P. J.

The prosecution in this case was predicated upon a purported indictment, which attempted to charge this appellant with a misdemeanor, ‍​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‍to wit, an assault with a weapon. He was tried and convicted by the jury of an “attempt to assault with a weapon,” his fine being fixed at $10.

The indictment does not show authentication as provided by Code 1907, § 7300 (Code 1923, ‍​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‍§ 8682), which reads: “The concurrence of at least twelve grand jurors is necessary to find an indictment; and when so found it must be indorsed ‘a true bill,’ and the indorsement signed by the foreman.”

For the failure of the indictment to bear this ‍​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‍necessary indorsement, it is not a valid indictment and will not support a judgment of conviction. This identical question has been decided, as here, in the following cases: Memory McMullen v. State, 17 Ala. App. 504, 86 So. 175; Whitley v. State, 166 Ala. 42, 52 So. ‍​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‍203; Bilbo v. State, 1 Ala. App. 74, 55 So. 927; Banks v. State, 13 Ala. App. 41, 69 So. 242; Smiley v. State, 11 Ala. App. 67, 65 So. 916; Joyner v. State, 78 Ala. 448; Wilson v. State, 128 Ala. 17, 24, 29 So. 569; Coburn v. State, 151 Ala. ‍​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‍100, 44 So. 58, 15 Ann. Cas. 249.

No valid indictment having been shown, it is unnecessary to consider other questions presented.

Reversed and remanded.

Case Details

Case Name: Dowdy v. State
Court Name: Alabama Court of Appeals
Date Published: May 26, 1931
Citations: 134 So. 896; 24 Ala. App. 333; 1931 Ala. App. LEXIS 305; 8 Div. 224.
Docket Number: 8 Div. 224.
Court Abbreviation: Ala. Ct. App.
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